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Kuno National Park cheetahs cross into Rajasthan again, one tranquilised, shifted back
Two cheetahs from Kuno National Park enter Rajasthan again; KP-2 tranquilised in Ranthambore and safely shifted back in joint forest operation.
Two cheetahs from Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park have once again wandered into Rajasthan, prompting heightened surveillance and coordinated tracking by forest teams across districts.
One of them, cheetah KP-2, which had been roaming in the Ranthambore landscape for over three weeks, was tranquilised on Friday in the Phalodi range by a joint team of Kuno National Park and the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve authorities.
Following a medical examination, the cheetah was safely returned to Kuno.
Deputy conservator of forests, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Manas Singh said KP-2 had entered the Ranthambore landscape around 23 days ago after moving out of Kuno National Park.
“The teams of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and Kuno National Park had been continuously monitoring the cheetah. After prolonged tracking, the Kuno team tranquilised KP-2 and shifted it back to the park,” Singh said.
KP-2 has repeatedly strayed into Rajasthan in recent months. On April 16, the cheetah was spotted near Ajitpura village close to Palighat along the Chambal River in Sawai Madhopur district. Villagers reported seeing the animal roaming on village roads before it moved into nearby agricultural fields, triggering concern among locals.
Forest officials said the cheetah crossed the Chambal River and briefly entered Kota district before returning to Sawai Madhopur under the cover of darkness.
Earlier, on March 27, the same cheetah was tranquilised in Peepalda Samel village and transported back to Kuno after straying into human habitation. It had also entered Kota district on March 19, indicating a pattern of long-distance movement outside its designated habitat.
Palighat ranger Kishan Kumar Sankhla had earlier said teams from the Palighat and Phalodi ranges, along with a special team from Kuno National Park, were deployed to track the cheetah and prevent any conflict with villagers.
Meanwhile, another cheetah reached the Rijhauni forest area under Sarmathura sub-division in Dholpur after moving from the Manakhur-Chandelipura forest area in Karauli district. The animal reportedly hunted a cow in the area.
District forest officer, Dholpur, V. Chetan Kumar said forest teams were closely monitoring the cheetah in coordination with officials from Kuno National Park.
“A joint team of Kuno National Park and the Dholpur forest department is monitoring the animal. Patrolling has been intensified to prevent any untoward incident, and villagers in the area have been advised to remain alert,” Kumar said.
The cheetah was also captured on camera while resting after hunting the cow. Forest officials said efforts were underway to tranquilise the animal and safely return it to Kuno National Park at the earliest.
Officials added that the movement of another cheetah, KP-3, was also being tracked in Baran district, particularly in the Atru and Chhabra areas.
